The Day of the Triffids

John Wyndham's famous story of a world dominated by monstrous stinging plants, capable of walking and of some form of communication. Plants which had previously been considered curiosities to be handled with care, but not to be feared.

Opinion

From the critics

Community Activity

Comment

Classic sci-fi tale. Much more suspenseful than I thought it would be, but it ends too abruptly. The Bill-Josella romance is unrealistic and a distraction from the story of survival after worldwide catastrophe.

An unjustly neglected classic of British sci-fi, "The Day of the Triffids," like the best of its kind, has all the thrills of the genre, as well as a deeper, daker social resonance. After a meteor shower leaves most of the inhabitants of Britain blinded, society crumbles and homicidal plants (seriously) take over. The survivors try to start again, but end up fighting with each other as much as they do the triffids. Wyndham's writing is swift, direct, and restrained; despite the outlandish plot, there is a real sense of dread, a harsh view of human nature, and a firm grasp of the apocalypse. Written during the Cold War, it certainly captures a dark and paranoid mood much better than its mainstream counterparts. In our age of bio-terrorism, failed states, and widespread poverty, the book has lost none of its relevance and power. The opening of "28 Days Later" (hero in hospital, deserted city) owe a lot to this

Kereesa
Sep 09, 2015

Read Persnickety77's review below. This is literally the most spot on review I have ever read.

"Day of the Triffids" is an excellent story. Highly relevant reading for people during the end of the Cold War era when people lived with the still continuing threat of Mutually Assured Destruction. These days we're most concerned about the spread of some horrible virus, but the effects of each would be the same. A sparsely populated world after a cataclysmic event leaves the story's main characters with desperate problems to solve. John Wyndham covers several interesting philosophical and social challenges. This is highly recommended reading.

"Day of the Triffids" is John Wyndham's classic post-apocalyptic science-fiction thriller. Written in the early 1950's, the story is filled with dramatic cold war undertones. Throughout the novel, Wyndham examines morality in the context of a breakdown of societal structures. An old-fashioned romance subplot between Bill and Josella rounds out the tale. Wyndham's writing is solid but unremarkable. Readers should prepare to suspend disbelief because the plot seems hastily constructed and built upon a foundation of flimsy contrivances.